Teaching Statement

     This was the first semester that I met with a child and attempted to provide instructions on a specific subject, which, in this case, was reading. Although I’ve learned the technical theories and knew how I should be interacting with the child, the experience of actually meeting a child is a lot different than what I’ve expected. Through talking to the child and giving one-on-one tutoring, I’ve developed my theories of what I should be teaching and how my role as a teacher should influence the student. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     First, what should I be teaching? As a literacy teacher, the answer seems obvious: I should be teaching the child how to read. However, the matter is not as simple as the answer. There are many components to reading, ranging from learning the alphabet and the sounds they can produce to comprehending the given text, all of them involving detailed instructions. Given that there is so much to learn, I believe that as a teacher, I should be helping the students to decide what they should be learning at each stage. For example, I wouldn’t be asking a child to read and reread words that he/she already knows. I would be choosing slightly advanced topics, such as reading more complex words, and push the student to be better at reading. I also wouldn't wait for mastery on one component before moving on to the next. I believe that reading is a long-going process, so it is important to introduce some concepts early, even if the student won’t be working on these concepts yet. For example, I would be reminding my student that the ultimate goal of reading is comprehension before the child is fully able to read the letters. Thus, the child would have an easier time switching his/her mindset when the child needs to read and comprehend. In conclusion, I believe that as a teacher, I should be helping the student in choosing the appropriate level of instruction and providing them a view of the big picture while focusing on the small details of the reading. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     During this past semester, I’ve also developed an impression of what an ideal teacher should look like. I believe that an ideal teacher should be an authority, guide, and model for the students. The teacher should be of authority, so that the students would listen to the teacher for instructions and advice. If the teacher seems goofy all the time, the students may enjoy spending time with the teacher but would not be looking at the teacher when they require help. Secondly, the teacher should be a guide. As explained earlier, the teacher should be choosing the appropriate level of instruction for the student. The teacher should be guiding the student to become a better self. For example, I shouldn’t be allowing the student to just do “okay” in an area of interest. If they could reach “excellent” with scaffolding, I should be providing the help of the student to achieve his/her best. Last but not least, the teacher should be a good model for the students to follow. Students often look around them for models in life, and as teachers, we should be mindful of this. We should also act in ways that we want the students to act, not doing one thing and saying another. Our actions can change how the students would behave, and we should always be aware of that. Conclusively, a teacher can have influential powers on students, and we should work to be a better influence for the students. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Looking back at the semester, I’ve constructed theories about what teachers should teach and what roles teachers should take. Given that I’m still a young teacher candidate, these theories may change in the future, once I’ve had more experience in the field of teaching. However, I would always be working to provide the best instruction for my students and help them to be successful.